@MrBond: Nice to see The Phantom Menace high up in your ranking! I am always disappointed with those who dislike the movie and call it "cheesy" or "childish". I was three when this movie came out, and four when the VHS rolled around, so I have extremely fond memories of this one! Even without that I would still like it because it is such an awesome movie, even with Jar Jar Binks!

@MrBond: Nice to see The Phantom Menace high up in your ranking! I am always disappointed with those who dislike the movie and call it "cheesy" or "childish". I was three when this movie came out, and four when the VHS rolled around, so I have extremely fond memories of this one! Even without that I would still like it because it is such an awesome movie, even with Jar Jar Binks!

Same here, I was 4 years when I first watched it. I think it was around -00, and that was something I really liked. It was later on when I realized that people disliked the movie and especially Jar Jar. I did always think that the original trilogy was very boring for a long time.

@MrBond: Nice to see The Phantom Menace high up in your ranking! I am always disappointed with those who dislike the movie and call it "cheesy" or "childish". I was three when this movie came out, and four when the VHS rolled around, so I have extremely fond memories of this one! Even without that I would still like it because it is such an awesome movie, even with Jar Jar Binks!

Same here, I was 4 years when I first watched it. I think it was around -00, and that was something I really liked. It was later on when I realized that people disliked the movie and especially Jar Jar. I did always think that the original trilogy was very boring for a long time.

I think that's mostly the difference guys. Alot depends on your age. I was only a little kid when the original trilogy came out so these films mean so much to me with so many fond childhood memories. I personally was disappointed with new newer trilogy with Revenge being the better of the three. And Jar-Jar is so annoying to me.

@MrBond: Nice to see The Phantom Menace high up in your ranking! I am always disappointed with those who dislike the movie and call it "cheesy" or "childish". I was three when this movie came out, and four when the VHS rolled around, so I have extremely fond memories of this one! Even without that I would still like it because it is such an awesome movie, even with Jar Jar Binks!

Same here, I was 4 years when I first watched it. I think it was around -00, and that was something I really liked. It was later on when I realized that people disliked the movie and especially Jar Jar. I did always think that the original trilogy was very boring for a long time.

I think that's mostly the difference guys. Alot depends on your age. I was only a little kid when the original trilogy came out so these films mean so much to me with so many fond childhood memories. I personally was disappointed with new newer trilogy with Revenge being the better of the three. And Jar-Jar is so annoying to me.

Yes, i guess it is. I have heard so much praise about the old movies, and i didn't know why. But if i look in a different way then i can realize what a cultural impact the first three movies did.

1. Empire Strikes Back
2. Return of the Jedi
3. A New Hope
4. Revenge of the Sith (best of the prequels, some great memories of this one)
5. Attack of the Clones (not THAT bad)
6. The Phantom Menace (love/hate relationship)

DJCLE84formerly HASEROT ---has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---

1. Empire Strikes Back
it took what Star Wars established, and pushed it into a darker and more mature territory.

2. Return Of The Jedi
a lot of purists hate this entry, or find it dissatisfying.. I enjoy it on almost the same level as TESB.. it's a little more lighthearted, but i love the conflict between Luke and Vader. And obviously the redemption of Vader, protecting his son by throwing the Emperor into the furnace - such a powerful scene.

3. A New Hope (Star Wars)
it's the film that started it all, and changed the way movies and special effects we made forever.

4. Revenge Of The Sith
Finally, we get to meat of the story after sitting through 2 films of setup material.. This is the only film out of the prequel trilogy that lives up to the standard set by the originals. While it does have it flaws, I find the story to be very gripping - and delightfully dark.. the Obi Wan/Anakin duel at the end is stunning, and is almost the perfect climax.

5. Attack Of The Clones
More setup fodder.. I understand that we got to get the Anakin/Padme love story out there - so that I didn't have a problem with at all, it was to be expected.. I just think it felt too forced, and didn't seem natural - maybe better acting could've helped?

6. The Phantom Menace
I could go on and on for days about this film, and how it does more wrong than right.. ie: little annoying kid Anakin.. Midicaloreans(?).. Jar Jar.. killing off Darth Maul.. and on and on.... fact is, the whole saga needed to start somewhere - and much like EP4, a lot of character ground work needed to be laid... but i think they rushed way too much through it all.. Liam Neeson was a spectacular choice for Qui-Gon, and the fight between him and Obi Wan against Maul at the end was fantastic... it's a shame that 2 out of the 3 bright spots got killed off in this film's finale (unless you count the Clone Wars animated show as cannon, then Darth Maul never really died)..

one of my main problems with the prequel trilogy, is that each film brought in a new bad guy for us to get used to.. Maul, Dooku, Grievous... the original films only had Vader and the Emperor (unless you also count Fett and Tarkian(?)).. but I felt that Dooku was forced in without good reason, and that Maul should've lasted through til EP3, where Anakin kills him on his turn to the darkside (similar to Luke's situation in EP6)

I would've liked it if the prequels had not bothered with the Phantom Menace, started with Attack of the Clones, followed up with a film about Clone Wars and then gone with Revenge of the Sith. Provided ROTS remained the same, Attack of the Clones had been marginally better and Clone Wars been character driven and actually established Anakin as a Jedi worthy of respect I think it could've been quite good.

Personally, I care about Anakin's fall to the Sith because of the start of ROTS. PM Anakin was an annoying kid, he was a whiny teenager in AOTC, it was only at the start of ROTS that we see him as a Jedi Knight worthy of respect; that Anakin is the Anakin I care about, that Anakin's relationship with Padme is the one that interests me.

Of course, this is making the assumption that the Clone Wars film would've been in the same vein as ROTS. The animated series has been largely excellent, very character driven, something like that but live action would've been nice.

DJCLE84formerly HASEROT ---has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---

i agree, little kid Anakin is very annoying - and force or no force, i cant still get over the fact that he pilots a space ship into space and destroys a federation ship (largely by accident, but still)..... Anakin should've been a teenager, same age as Luke (16-17) - IMO, it would've made him more believable as an experienced pilot, and would've made the love interest between him and Padme seem less creepy lol.. This also would've set him up as being a little bit older at the time of his turn to the darkside... it seems weird to have his turn be while he's still a young man... personally, i always felt like he should've turned when he was in his 30s (but thats only a minor detail, his age doesn't bother me that much at all - only in EP1)

Last year I had made a thread for this-- a new order in which to watch the films (which completely ignores Episode I).
It literally brought me back to Star Wars fandom full swing after years of 'giving up' on the series. I HIGHLY recommend you check it out!!

Sorry for the long quote, but it's way worth the read! In a nutshell, this guy suggests you watch Star Wars in this order: 4, 5, 2, 3, & 6. It totally ignores 1 (I like it already). He explains why beautifully, but basically you get two movies about Luke, ending with a HUGE cliffhanger, then two movies about Anakin, then one movie to wrap it all up. Almost as if the huge cliffhanger in ESB is made more poignant by a LONG flashback.

Here's why I think this order is full of WIN:

*No Jar Jar
*No 'baby' Anakin
*No 'midi-BS'
*Vader surprise isn't ruined
*Yoda surprise isn't ruined
*When you finally do watch Return of the Jedi, it's after a long break where we've seen what happened to Anakin-- and Luke's apparent road towards the Dark Side has much more weight (wears all black, force choke, etc)
*No Jar Jar

Anyway, here's the article. If you're anything like me, and used to be a big Star Wars fan, only to have it ruined by the prequels, then you should absolutely give this a read. I had all but forgotten my love for the series but after reading this I'm actually pretty anxious to have a marathon in this order!

Of the newer SW BS I find actually The Phantom Menace by far the best to enjoy. Simply because in this part you do not see the snivelling idiotic moron that will become Darth Vader. Episode 2 & 3 made the very cool uberbaddie a uberwanker that spoiled the character Darth Vader for me. Hence they do no longer excist in the SW universe for me.
Anakin in part 1 was acceptable and the jedi knights were very cool too.

I too find Anakin in Ep 2 and 3 an unforgivable mistake. Such a pivotal character, wasted away at the hands of a talentless bore who seems to address anyone but the true Star Wars fans - although I can tell of only very few people who actually enjoy HC's performance! I like most of what goes on for the rest of the prequels although in the end I think Empire is the one SW film that's overall great. Star Wars comes very close but with Jedi I'm already selecting bits I like, which isn't everything. The prequels are an overall drop in quality for me. They offer good material for sure, but they don't raise any bars anymore. In fact, I'm to this day much more impressed by the SFX in the original films than I am by those of the prequels, which either seem fairly outdated already or just nothing unlike what we see in so many other films. Ironically, CGI seems to age more rapidly than good old fashioned, old school optical and other effects.

his problem is is that he comes off as a whiny brat - not at all full of anger and rage.... the real stars of EP3 are Ewan, Ian, Natalie, hell even Frank Oz.. Hayden is far removed from any sort of recognition... in fact, the only scene i really like him in, is when he is not saying a word.. and thats the beautiful scene after Windu tells him to stay put - when the sun is setting, and he and Padme have this moment from a distance... the music, and the way it was shot is beautiful to me.. and IMO, that was Hayden's one shining moment.... the rest is just 'meh'...... i dont and never disliked him, but he was FAR from perfect for the role..

1. Empire Strikes Back- Action packed, but also a very good plot and some solid acting performances.
2. A New Hope- Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness in the same film? It has to be good.
3. Return of the Jedi- Sometimes is number 2 for me, sometimes number 4. The Ewoks don't help.
4. Revenge of the Sith- Some parts are chessey, but overall it is pretty good.
5. Phantom Menace- Jar-jar is the only major flaw.
6. Attack of the Clones- A distant last place. Darth Vader should have better pick up lines!

This is a little random, but one Star Wars memory I have that I will never forget is when I went to see Attack of the Clones in theaters back in 2002 when I was in the first grade, and when Yoda first revealed his lightsaber right before the duel with Count Dooku, the whole place gasped in awe! And then when Yoda started flipping around the hanger yelling out battle cries everyone lost it and erupted with laughter!

That was pretty much what happened when I went to see it, too. Then, as we were walking out of the theater, one guy was saying to his friend, "Man, I was hoping Yoda died." And the friend went, "Dude, there's still 4 more movies."

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